Self-priming centrifugal pump



1945- c. l. LONGENECKER Q 2,336,485

SELF-PRIMING GENTRIFUGAL PUMP Filed ma 17, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 @mmum Illllnn-nu u u 9, 1945- c. LONGENECKER 2,386,485

SELF-PRIMING CEN'IRIFUGAL PUMP Filed May 17, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :1 W0 e/Mxyn CharleslLan geneckez;

Patented Oct. 9, 1945 SELFJ-PRIMING. cEN'rRIFUc IlrUMiP' Charles I. Longeneoker, Wauwatosa, Wis., assig'n- Q or 'to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, corporation of Wisconsin Wis., a

A plication May 17,1943, Serial No. 487,362 3- Claims. (Cl. 103-413) weight of the pump.

The present invention relates more especially to asuction chamber unit for such a pump, which is likewise constructed of stamped or otherwise suitably shaped elements of sheet metal, plate and pipe sections weldedtogether and supporting orcarrying the inlet or suction valve of the I pump-as well as the valve which automatically controls the flow or recirculation of the priming liquid.

One example of such a chamber and valve unit is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters designate like-parts in all the views,.and in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a recirculating self-priming centrifugal pump of substantially the same general construction as that disclosed in my said prior application Serial No. 444,891

but with a suction chamber and valve unit in accordance with the present invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is an end'elevational view of the parts illustrated in Fig. -1, as. seen from the right thereof; Q

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view, on a somewhat larger scale and partly in elevation, of thechamber and valve unit;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view, partly broken away, of the parts shown in Fig. 3, as seen-from the right thereof;

.Fig. 5 is a top .plan view, also partly broken away, of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the planes indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and I Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the valve assembly which controls the recirculation of the priming liquid.

Referring more particularly toFigs. 1 and 2, as in my said prior application the pump casing or body constitutes adelivery and priming water chamber 10, and is formed from a sheet metal annulus II to the opposite ends of; which the sheet metal heads l2 and I3 are peripherallywelded. A sheet metal partitionplate l4 and a spiral or volute strip l5 provide an impeller chamber l6 adjacent the head [2, in which chamber is located an impeller I'Lcarried by a shaft l8. A housing I9 is detachably secured to the head [2 and encloses a suitable seal for preventing escape of the fluid along the shaft is. A discharge conduit or pipe 20 extends through and is welded to the annulus H, and a filler conduit 2| also extends through the said annulus to enable the initial introduction of priming liquid into the pump casing. The head I3 is provided with a clean-out opening 22, normally closed by the cover plate 23 which in turn may be provided with admin passage 24 normally closed by a plug 25.

The partition plate II is provided with an inis closed by a sheet metal member 32 edge-welded to the said body member, as indicated at 33.

"to form. a perimetrically closed suction chamber 30. A flange plate 34 is welded to the outer end of said chamber members, which end is preferably beveled or inclined as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 3, and the central portion of such plate 34 is cut out to provide an inlet port or passage 35 for the chamber. The said plate also serves as a support for the inlet or suction valve of the pump, which comprises a sheet 36 of rub-.

ber or equivalent flexible material havingja U- shaped cut-out 31 providing a valve tongue 38.

This tongue is preferably weighted to assist in biasing it to closed position by a metal plate 39 and Washer 40, secured to the tongue by a screw The perimetric portion of the sheet 36 is clamped between the outer face of the plate 34 and a companion plate member 42 by bolts 43, which latterplate is centrally apertured as at 44 and provides a valve seat 45 against which the perimetric portion of the tongue 38 rests whenthe valve is in closed position. .A short section of pipe 46 iswelded to the outer face of theflange plate 42 and may be threaded as at 41 for connection to the suction or intake line.

By constructing the suction chamber and valve as above set forth, the valve is permitted to swing. to an open position-shown in broken line in Fig. 3-in which the intake port is substantially unobstructed thereby.

Adjacent its inner end the body member 3| is apertured to receive an end of a short pipe section 50, constituting the conduit through which priming liquid may be transferred from the delivery and priming water chamber In to the suction chamber 30 when the supply of liquid to be pumped fails, in the manner well understood by those skilled in the art. The pipe section 50 also supports a. valve assembly the valve of which automatically controls the flow of priming water through the said pipe in substantially the manner disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,217,380 granted October 8, 1940, on an application filed by Frank S. Ped-der and myself.

This valve assembly, as will be clear from Figs. 3-7, comprises a supporting arm 52 having an angularly disposed end portion 53 to which is se cured as by bolts 5% one end of a resilient. tongue or leaf 55 constituting the valve element, there being a rubber pad or equivalent resilient element d9 interposed between the leafand arm. The leaf is normally straight, as best shown in Figs, 4, 6 and 7, and by reason of its attachment to the angularly disposed end portion 53 of the supporting arm 52, the free end of the leaf normally extends below and in spaced relation to the lower end of the pipe section 50. The end face of the pipe section provides a seat 56 against which the valve leaf may be drawn by the partial vacuum in the suction chamber 39 and the velocity and/or pressur of the priming water en tering the pipe' 50 from the chamber Hi, to cut oif the flow of priming water, all in the manner set forth in said prior Patent No. 2,217,380.

The manner of mounting the supporting arm 52 of the valve assembly is somewhat difierent from that disclosed in the said patent, in that its end 57 is provided with a clamping device 53, here shown as a conventional pipe or hose clamp to which the end portion 5! of the arm is welded. The cylindrical portion of this clamp is slipped upon the pipe section 56, as shown in Figs. 3, 4. and 6 and by means of a bolt 59 passed through the apertures 66 in the ears 5! of the clamp, the valve assembly may be rigidly secured to the said pipe section. --This construction not only facilitates the mounting and/or dismounting of the valve assembly, but also provides for easy adjust ment of the valve leaf 55 toward or from its seat 66 to secure proper operation and/or maximum efficiency in the functioning of the valve. As will be noted from Fig. 1, the valve assembly is positioned adjacent the clean-out opening 22 in the casing head l3, and. the mounting, dismounting and/or adjustment of the valve may be readily accomplished through said opening upon removal of its cover 23,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An intake unit for a recirculating self-priming centrifugal pump having a casing providing an impeller chamber and a priming-liquid chamber: said unit comprising a perimetrically closed sheet metal suction chamber element adapted to extend through a wall of the pump casing for conveying liquid from exteriorly of said casing across the priming-liquid chamber and discharging it to the impeller chamber; a check valve carried by the portion of said suction chamber element exterior of the casing, for preventing backflow of fluid through said element; a conduit carried by the interior portion of said suction chamber element, for providing communication between it and the priming-liquid chamber; and a valve assembly readily adjustabl mounted on said conduit, including a valve for controlling passage of priming-liquid through the conduit to the suction chamber.

2. A unit for a. recirculating self-priming centrifugal pump, comprising an open-ended perimetrically closed sheet metal suction chamber element for conveying liquid to the pump impeller chamber, said element being provided with an exteriorly extending conduit for adm'tting priming liquid to the suction chamber; a valve co=operable with the intake port of said conduit for controlling the passage of fluid therethrough; and a support for said valve having means for readily detachably and adjustably mounting the support on said conduit, whereby the position of the valve relative to said intake port may be readily varied.

3. A unit for .controlling the flower priming liquid through a conduit of a recirculating selfpriming centrifugal pump, comprising a resilient valve leaf for seating co-operation with the intake end of the conduit: and a supporting arm to which one end of said valve leaf is secured, said am having a clamping member rigidly secured thereto and adapted for encirclement of and readily detachable and adjustable securement to the conduit, whereby the position of the valve leaf relative to said end of the conduit may be readily varied.

CHARLES I. LONGENECKER. 

